Nikki Tamboli is an Indian actress, model, and reality television personality born on 21 August 1996 in Aurangabad (now Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar), Maharashtra, into a Marathi Hindu family. Her father Digambar Tamboli worked at Exide Industries, and her mother Pramila Bodkhe Tamboli is a homemaker. She has an elder brother, Jatin Tamboli, who passed away in 2021 due to COVID-19. She completed her schooling at Podar International School, Aurangabad, and graduated from Kishinchand Chellaram College, Mumbai, where she also took an acting course. She began her career as a model, appearing in advertisements for brands including Shein and Stalkbuylove. She made her acting debut in the Telugu horror-comedy Chikati Gadilo Chithakotudu (2019, as Pooja) and the Telugu suspense thriller Thipparaa Meesam (2019, as police officer Mounika). The same year, she appeared in the Tamil horror-comedy Kanchana 3 (2019, directed by Raghava Lawrence), playing Divya - the film grossed over ₹130 crore. She made her Bollywood debut in India Fashion Factory (2020). She gained national fame through Bigg Boss 14 (Hindi, Colors TV, 2020-21), where she was a standout contestant and finished as the second runner-up. She participated in Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi Season 11 (2021) and made a special appearance in Jogira Sara Ra Ra (2023). She won the first runner-up position on Celebrity MasterChef India (2025). In 2024, she entered Bigg Boss Marathi Season 5 hosted by Riteish Deshmukh, where her gameplay and personality made her one of the season's most discussed figures. She finished third at the grand finale on 6 October 2024. She is currently in a relationship with fellow Bigg Boss Marathi 5 contestant Arbaz Patel.
Her role as Divya in the Tamil blockbuster Kanchana 3 (2019), which grossed over ₹130 crore; her debut in Chikati Gadilo Chithakotudu (2019, Telugu); finishing as second runner-up on Bigg Boss 14 (Hindi, 2020-21) hosted by Salman Khan; participating in Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi Season 11 (2021); finishing as first runner-up on Celebrity MasterChef India (2025); finishing third in Bigg Boss Marathi Season 5 (2024).